I like to eat food. …All sorts of food.
Sometimes I like to cook food and try new recipes.
Sometimes I don't and I feel lazy.
Being lazy is not healthy- because that means you order pizza or take-out Thai food.
Mmmm Pad Kee Mao.
I am trying not to be lazy at this very moment and find inspiration to create a tasty and healthy dinner.
…It's not working.
I thought maybe if I shared my experience and the recipes I tried in my sad attempt to try and follow the Paleo-lifestyle that it would encourage me to cook tonight. Hopefully by the end of this post I will have found such encouragement.
So… Paleo, huh? I know, everyone is doing it. Sometimes you want to roll your eyes at the stupid stuff that "everyone" is doing… kind of like what I did with Twitter. And then I had PR reps look at me and tell me I need Twitter if I want to be a food photographer. Twitter didn't seem so stupid after that. So when people told me about Paleo- that they cut out all grains, sugars and dairy again I rolled my eyes and called it a fad diet. Which perhaps it is. However, if you look into it a little bit you realize, fad or not, it makes sense and it's healthier. I eat too much sugar, I know that. I'm addicted big time. (Man, a donut sounds good right now, doesn't it?) I thought I would give the Paleo-lifestyle a go and try to at least cut down my grain and sugar intake. I knew off the bat that it wouldn't be a 100% full-commitment type of thing, that's not my style. In fact I can only think of two things I am 100% committed too- God and my husband. I LOVE eating out… I mean I am trying to be a food photographer so it comes with the territory. That has probably been the most difficult part- eating out. A close second is me being lazy… it takes more effort to buy cauliflower, finely grate it and create rice than throwing my already purchased (extra, extra large bag) of white rice into my rice cooker.
Have I cheated? Does a bear sh*t in the woods?
I am trying to figure out this new lifestyle and find the correct balance for me. In the mean time I have come across a lot of stellar recipes- mainly from OMG That's Paleo? cookbook. I'll share them with you. :)
1. Cilantro Chicken Nuggets. …I bought a dill flavored and jalapeño flavored mustard to go along with these nuggets and other grilled chicken dishes. Ground chicken might taste better- not sure… I only could find ground turkey and I used that.
2. Pumpkin Cashew Coconut Curry over Coconut "Rice" …Cauliflower rice works and tastes great. It's messy though! My husband was not impressed with the kitchen afterwards.
3. Avocado Cilantro Chicken Salad …Great for lunch.
4. Spicy Mexican-Stuffed Poblanos …I did it with 5 peppers and that was more than enough for two people.
5. Blackberry Glazed Pork Chops …Easy-peasy and good.
6. Citrus Mango Spicy Tilapia and Kale …For two people I just used two large fillets and I only had lemon and it was still delish.
7. Red Curry Scallop Soup … The only dish that I made twice (and in the same week)!! It was very good. Unfortunately this was a "new" recipe just for the cookbook I bought so I can't link it up to her blog. If you'd like the recipe you can either purchase the book or email me.
8. Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Frittata …Obviously for breakfast. I thought it needed a little something on top (like she mentioned) so I put avocados, cherry tomatoes and a little bit of a chipotle sauce I have.
9. Caramelized Plantain Pancakes… Not only did I make these for the first time but I pre-made the batter and then used it while we were camping. That changed a few things as far as cooking them- I had to like turn them into little patties almost (like crab cakes). I enjoyed them still and will definitely try again as more of an actual pancake style.
10. Simple Blueberry Muffins… I made them and my husband loved them and asked me to make them again. Second time around there were no blueberries at my grocery store (??) so I bought blackberries. I also didn't have quite enough coconut oil… so I did half coconut oil and half lemon grape seed oil. Since I was going with a little lemon I also tossed in some lemon zest. They were good too- but the blueberry was probably a little better.
11. Apple Cinnamon Muffins… These were good but not as good as the above muffin recipe. (Probably because it's missing the most amazing thing- almond butter! lol.)
12. Roasted Grape, Bacon and Kale Salad … OMG is right on this one. I've made it a handful of times now- it's soooo good. Of course the "dressing" is basically bacon fat. I don't have a link for this recipe either but it's a piece of cake. Take a handful of red grapes throw a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on them and then bake them at 425 for about 15 minutes. While they are baking throw about 4-5 pieces of bacon on a skillet and cook. Remove bacon and then toss a bunch of chopped Kale into the bacon grease and cook the Kale down. Toss all three ingredients together (obviously brake up the bacon) and chow down. It's amazing.
13. Roasted Red Pepper Dip… Great dip. She has you make Sweet Potato Chips to go along with this dip. I actually have made the chips and used them with my guacamole recipe instead. With the pepper dip I used Plantain Chips which she also has a recipe for but no link… or if you're feeling lazy Trader Joe's sells plantain chips.
14. Coconut Curry and Butternut Squash Soup… this is the only recipe I'll link-up that's not from the OMG Paleo book. This is straight-up Pinterest. It was alright… because I used a Vitamix I think some of the flavors were too strong like the onion.
Of course there were a lot of things I just made with out a recipe. I did the obvious spaghetti squash as "spaghetti" and lettuce-wrapped hamburgers. I made Portobello Mushroom Pizzas which were really good. And the good ol' standbys… grilled meats, grilled veggies, salads, taco salad, tortilla soup (minus the tortilla and cheese part), smoothies and lots of lots of egg concoctions for breakfast.
I'm sure there are two questions on your mind. One- Where are the photos, Aubrie? Can you believe that I did not take photos of any of these recipes!! I'm thinking that if I continue to do this that I'll have to start photographing the dishes and posting them. But for this post, sorry, no photos. Second- did I find my motivation to cook at home last night? Yes, last night. I started this post Friday evening… my husband came home and said "I had a hard week can we go out and get a beer?" So to answer the question I did find motivation but my husband quickly changed my mind. If my man needs a beer and needs to go out than dang-it we need to go out! We ventured over to a really cool new spot in downtown Beaverton called Watson Hall. Great food, yummy beer and cool atmosphere. Check it out.
…I now have motivation to write out my recipes for this upcoming week and keep chugging along on this Paleo-lifestyle.
Cheers and happy eating.
Aubrie
PS. If you're out and about in the Northwest/Nob Hill area and need a great spot for yummy salads check out Kiva. Their Kale Salad was amazing!!
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
4.19.2014
12.31.2013
Simple & Sweet | 2014 Goals
Apparently I only blogged three posts this year. I think it's easy to say that my "personal" blog does not receive as much attention as my photography blog. I guess I didn't have a lot of things to get off my chest this year as I have had in the past. This blog is basically here for when I need to unleash some thoughts, list random things I've been thinking about or set goals. We all know what category this post falls into… after all it is December 31st.
The past two years I have listed a number of goals equal to the year. So for 2012 I had twelve goals and for 2013 I had thirteen goals. Guess what I am going to do for 2014??! … No, I'm not doing 14 goals. This is going to sound really sad but every year I look back at my goals and I don't accomplish at lot of them. It's not that I didn't accomplish anything, I think it's more that you don't know what will happen in a year and going with the flow is more my style. This year is simple. Three things I want to do in 2014.
1. Get my tattoo. And when I say "my" I mean the one I have thought about, designed in my head and actually wanted now for awhile. Not just any tattoo but the one I am ready to get now. It will be on my left arm just below the elbow crease, facing me… the tattoo is for me. (Does anyone have a a tattoo artist they recommend? I want someone that is good and not scary lol.)
2. AQUA-BIKE!!! It's now been on my goal list for two years… third year is a charm. I'm doing one.
I am looking into doing one in July in Bend, Oregon. http://www.deschutesdash.com
3. On the heels of the previous goal… I am on a masters swim team. It's been about two years now believe it or not. A lot of the swimmers keep track of their yardage on the USMS website… it's called a FLOG or Fitness Log. I finally signed up and I am going to keep track my yardage, yoga and biking (you can pretty much keep track of any fitness activity.) I don't have a set goal in mind as far as reaching a certain amount of yards or miles… first I need to get into the habit of logging.
And that's it folks. Not a lot of pressure for 2014. I always strive to be a good photographer, increase my business and I want to continue working on editorial and food photography. My photo career is past an every year resolution, it's a lifetime goal. I'm tired of reading books I don't like so I am over the whole "read classics" idea. I know David and I will hike, bike, kayak and camp as much as our schedules allow us to- so I don't need to pick a certain amount we should accomplish. And thankfully I think we found a good church we can call home for awhile so the spiritual growth is on an upwards mend. Amen. ;) So that's it. 2014- here we come!
Happy New Years!
Skipping,
Aubrie
The past two years I have listed a number of goals equal to the year. So for 2012 I had twelve goals and for 2013 I had thirteen goals. Guess what I am going to do for 2014??! … No, I'm not doing 14 goals. This is going to sound really sad but every year I look back at my goals and I don't accomplish at lot of them. It's not that I didn't accomplish anything, I think it's more that you don't know what will happen in a year and going with the flow is more my style. This year is simple. Three things I want to do in 2014.
1. Get my tattoo. And when I say "my" I mean the one I have thought about, designed in my head and actually wanted now for awhile. Not just any tattoo but the one I am ready to get now. It will be on my left arm just below the elbow crease, facing me… the tattoo is for me. (Does anyone have a a tattoo artist they recommend? I want someone that is good and not scary lol.)
2. AQUA-BIKE!!! It's now been on my goal list for two years… third year is a charm. I'm doing one.
I am looking into doing one in July in Bend, Oregon. http://www.deschutesdash.com
3. On the heels of the previous goal… I am on a masters swim team. It's been about two years now believe it or not. A lot of the swimmers keep track of their yardage on the USMS website… it's called a FLOG or Fitness Log. I finally signed up and I am going to keep track my yardage, yoga and biking (you can pretty much keep track of any fitness activity.) I don't have a set goal in mind as far as reaching a certain amount of yards or miles… first I need to get into the habit of logging.
And that's it folks. Not a lot of pressure for 2014. I always strive to be a good photographer, increase my business and I want to continue working on editorial and food photography. My photo career is past an every year resolution, it's a lifetime goal. I'm tired of reading books I don't like so I am over the whole "read classics" idea. I know David and I will hike, bike, kayak and camp as much as our schedules allow us to- so I don't need to pick a certain amount we should accomplish. And thankfully I think we found a good church we can call home for awhile so the spiritual growth is on an upwards mend. Amen. ;) So that's it. 2014- here we come!
Happy New Years!
Skipping,
Aubrie
10.29.2012
Classics.
I love bookstores. There is something so simple and quaint and peaceful about them- even the enormous Powells' bookstore in down town Portland. If you slip away into a small corner of the massive store it can feel like a seaside bookshop. (If you are not familiar with Powells it is the largest independent bookstore in the world and takes up an entire city block.)
Honestly, I probably like bookstores more than reading. I find that walking through a bookstore and picking out the best front covers can be very inspiring. There is a famous saying, everyone knows it, "don't judge a book by it's cover." Unfortunately I do not adhere to this guideline. In fact I have been known to not purchase books that were recommended to me because I thought the cover was ugly. I HATE when I want to buy a book that has been made into a movie and the actors' faces have replaced the original art work. I love covers and it's one of my random photography-bucket-list items, to have one of my photos as a book cover.
These are all just random side notes by the way. Let me back up.
David was out of town so I decided to watch a matinee, "Perks of Being a Wallflower." I won't give away the movie, I will recommend it- I thought it was good. The movie sparked an interest to visit a bookstore and I just happened to be in walking distance of a mini Powells bookstore- the Cedar Hills Powells. I walked to the store with the idea of buying Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." During the previews I learned that this classic book was about to hit the big screen. I really like reading books that will eventually be movies. I enjoy not only comparing the two side by side (which is better the book or the movie? ...it's always the book...) but I also get a kick out of seeing how one type of artist visually communicates words that were written by a completely different kind of artist. I think we should make all books into movies... of course I think you have to read the book first.
As I typed in Jack's name I realized I didn't know how to correctly spell it. He's a famous, classic author with well-known books, I should know how to spell his name. Thankfully I have a little thing called Google on my iPhone. (What did we do before technology?) I walked down the literature isle slowly, gazing over the book covers and mentally noting which ones would be readable and which ones will never enter my bookshelf. I came to K and found the book I was looking for. It reminded me of a New Years Eve resolution I "mentioned" a year or two ago. I can't actually remember if it was last year or the year before. I put "mentioned" in quotes because it literally was one of those resolutions I just threw out there and never actually put it down as "this is my resolution for 2012." The goal was to read five classic novels. The novels that everyone else seems to have read, or at least the pretend to have read it. On my list I definitely wanted to read Catch-22 and then anything written by Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac. My fifth read was still up in the air- I thought about rereading The Great Gatsby or something by Mark Twain. Obviously I didn't give it a lot of thought because this resolution never stuck.
I had "On the Road" in my hands when a craving to read other classics came over me. I thought about how much TV I watched and that it would be a smart switch to replace the tube with a book. I also thought about how nice it would be to actually know what people are talking about when they mention a Catch-22 (ya, ya, I get the idea) or to agree or disagree when someone says Hemingway was the greatest author. Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favorite movies and I can't believe I've never read the true version from Jane Austen's hand. So I went around the bookstore and I started to pick up all of these classic novels.
I decided on three to start; "On the Road" by Kerouac, "Pride and Prejudice" by Austen and "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller. I did look at Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" but I didn't buy it. It's a short book, that surprised me. (PS. If you look up photos of Hemingway when he was younger I think you'll find the author to be very handsome.)
The cashier asked why I purchased the special edition of Pride and Prejudice (a Norton Critical Edition). He asked if it was for school. I told him I knew there were cheaper versions (like really cheap for three bucks) but I wanted this version because it had footnotes explaining words I did not know. For instance on the very first page the word Michaelmas is used, I thought it was a person's name but the footnotes explained to me that it generally means "autumn." I paid the extra five dollars for knowledge... plus it will save me time, I won't have to bust out google on my phone. ;) The cashier explained that this edition puts the book in three volumes as opposed to one long novel. According to the lovely cashier the three volume version is how Jane Austen wrote the book.
When the cashier asked if it was for school an unexpected excitement entered my mind. School? It sounds exciting? It only took 7 years for the thought of taking classes to excite me again. I have been thinking about taking a class here and there- like a writing class or a food photography class. Don't worry my bachelors degree is more than enough for my occupation and I am completely happy with my career choice, so I will not be going back to school full time. For now I'll see if a small class is in my near future and I'll get to work on reading my classics.
What is your favorite classic novel? Author?
Skipping,
Aubrie
Honestly, I probably like bookstores more than reading. I find that walking through a bookstore and picking out the best front covers can be very inspiring. There is a famous saying, everyone knows it, "don't judge a book by it's cover." Unfortunately I do not adhere to this guideline. In fact I have been known to not purchase books that were recommended to me because I thought the cover was ugly. I HATE when I want to buy a book that has been made into a movie and the actors' faces have replaced the original art work. I love covers and it's one of my random photography-bucket-list items, to have one of my photos as a book cover.
These are all just random side notes by the way. Let me back up.
David was out of town so I decided to watch a matinee, "Perks of Being a Wallflower." I won't give away the movie, I will recommend it- I thought it was good. The movie sparked an interest to visit a bookstore and I just happened to be in walking distance of a mini Powells bookstore- the Cedar Hills Powells. I walked to the store with the idea of buying Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." During the previews I learned that this classic book was about to hit the big screen. I really like reading books that will eventually be movies. I enjoy not only comparing the two side by side (which is better the book or the movie? ...it's always the book...) but I also get a kick out of seeing how one type of artist visually communicates words that were written by a completely different kind of artist. I think we should make all books into movies... of course I think you have to read the book first.
As I typed in Jack's name I realized I didn't know how to correctly spell it. He's a famous, classic author with well-known books, I should know how to spell his name. Thankfully I have a little thing called Google on my iPhone. (What did we do before technology?) I walked down the literature isle slowly, gazing over the book covers and mentally noting which ones would be readable and which ones will never enter my bookshelf. I came to K and found the book I was looking for. It reminded me of a New Years Eve resolution I "mentioned" a year or two ago. I can't actually remember if it was last year or the year before. I put "mentioned" in quotes because it literally was one of those resolutions I just threw out there and never actually put it down as "this is my resolution for 2012." The goal was to read five classic novels. The novels that everyone else seems to have read, or at least the pretend to have read it. On my list I definitely wanted to read Catch-22 and then anything written by Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac. My fifth read was still up in the air- I thought about rereading The Great Gatsby or something by Mark Twain. Obviously I didn't give it a lot of thought because this resolution never stuck.
I had "On the Road" in my hands when a craving to read other classics came over me. I thought about how much TV I watched and that it would be a smart switch to replace the tube with a book. I also thought about how nice it would be to actually know what people are talking about when they mention a Catch-22 (ya, ya, I get the idea) or to agree or disagree when someone says Hemingway was the greatest author. Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favorite movies and I can't believe I've never read the true version from Jane Austen's hand. So I went around the bookstore and I started to pick up all of these classic novels.
I decided on three to start; "On the Road" by Kerouac, "Pride and Prejudice" by Austen and "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller. I did look at Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" but I didn't buy it. It's a short book, that surprised me. (PS. If you look up photos of Hemingway when he was younger I think you'll find the author to be very handsome.)
The cashier asked why I purchased the special edition of Pride and Prejudice (a Norton Critical Edition). He asked if it was for school. I told him I knew there were cheaper versions (like really cheap for three bucks) but I wanted this version because it had footnotes explaining words I did not know. For instance on the very first page the word Michaelmas is used, I thought it was a person's name but the footnotes explained to me that it generally means "autumn." I paid the extra five dollars for knowledge... plus it will save me time, I won't have to bust out google on my phone. ;) The cashier explained that this edition puts the book in three volumes as opposed to one long novel. According to the lovely cashier the three volume version is how Jane Austen wrote the book.
When the cashier asked if it was for school an unexpected excitement entered my mind. School? It sounds exciting? It only took 7 years for the thought of taking classes to excite me again. I have been thinking about taking a class here and there- like a writing class or a food photography class. Don't worry my bachelors degree is more than enough for my occupation and I am completely happy with my career choice, so I will not be going back to school full time. For now I'll see if a small class is in my near future and I'll get to work on reading my classics.
What is your favorite classic novel? Author?
Skipping,
Aubrie
6.04.2012
Sweat & Tears
I hesitated to return to my computer. I left my keyboard, about 5 hours ago, covered in tears. When I walked into my office I could taste the bitter leftovers. Photoshop was still turned on and that one damn image was still sitting on my desktop... unedited.
What? Were you thinking my hesitation, tears and bitter taste in my mouth would be a little more meaningful than an argument with Photoshop? After my "breakdown" I kind of had the same thought. I was embarrassed to tell people why I was having a bad day. When one of my friends asked me what was wrong I actually did not want to tell her because if I said it out loud it would seem SO SILLY!
Of course my defeat with Photoshop lead to a degrading masterpiece. It started with "Why can't I figure out how to do this one step in Photoshop?" And ended somewhere between "You're the worst photographer, server, friend, wife, Christian, swimmer and you have no will power, no guts, no motivation... and you're fat." (Right? You all know that when you go down and out that word "fat" creeps right in and makes itself at home in your mind.)
The worst is when you start comparing. Geez! If we could just go through life and not compare ourselves to others I think we would be better off. Or would we? I guess it's one thing to dwell every day on the fact that you are not "so-and-so" (I had way too many names pop in right there) to the point where you give up. It's another thing to realize that you ain't quite there yet and you need to keep working your ass off. Hopefully you'll always have at least one person in front of you so that you keep hustling. I guess it's okay that once in a while I have a freak-out moment where I pretty much tell myself I suck. It has to be better than patting myself on the back and saying "you're the best" when in reality I have no talent or skill whatsoever.
I will say though that comparing myself to others reminds me that I'm mediocre. Man- I hate that word. I don't know why but I just don't want to be mediocre. The problem is I've been mediocre in everything. I knew how to swim butterfly and I was pretty good. I could throw one hell of a drop-curve too. But I was not great. I was a 3.0 student, not 4.0. I can take some nice photographs, but you don't see any award symbols by my name. (Don't even get me started on being a mediocre wife, friend and Christian!) I don't expect to be amazing and perfect at everything, but I would like to not be "mediocre" at at least. one. thing.
I want that one thing to be my photography career. (Unless God has another plan). In order to be great I actually have to remind myself that it does not happen naturally. I know.... you're thinking everyone has to remind themselves the same thing. I disagree. I think there are plenty of people where it actually comes naturally... you know that whole "natural talent" phrase... it does exist. It does not exist in me. So I have to remind myself to study, learn and practice. I have to go over things multiple times, not just once. I have to force myself to do things outside of my comfort zone. I have to spend hours starring at a computer screen, tears rolling down my cheek just so I can learn how to edit a little better. (With the realization that it might not even help me in the end.) And when I become complaisant or even big-headed I have to bring myself down and say "Aubrie, you are not great! ... Yet."
To come full circle... there really isn't anything embarrassing about driving yourself to tears in the name of improvement. Who cries over Photoshop? Someone, who deep inside, really wants to be great. She doesn't know of a better way to do that than with a little sweat and tears.
Hmmm... Sinking AND Skipping,
Aubrie
PS. I still have no idea how to accomplish this certain editing system in Photoshop.
What? Were you thinking my hesitation, tears and bitter taste in my mouth would be a little more meaningful than an argument with Photoshop? After my "breakdown" I kind of had the same thought. I was embarrassed to tell people why I was having a bad day. When one of my friends asked me what was wrong I actually did not want to tell her because if I said it out loud it would seem SO SILLY!
Of course my defeat with Photoshop lead to a degrading masterpiece. It started with "Why can't I figure out how to do this one step in Photoshop?" And ended somewhere between "You're the worst photographer, server, friend, wife, Christian, swimmer and you have no will power, no guts, no motivation... and you're fat." (Right? You all know that when you go down and out that word "fat" creeps right in and makes itself at home in your mind.)
The worst is when you start comparing. Geez! If we could just go through life and not compare ourselves to others I think we would be better off. Or would we? I guess it's one thing to dwell every day on the fact that you are not "so-and-so" (I had way too many names pop in right there) to the point where you give up. It's another thing to realize that you ain't quite there yet and you need to keep working your ass off. Hopefully you'll always have at least one person in front of you so that you keep hustling. I guess it's okay that once in a while I have a freak-out moment where I pretty much tell myself I suck. It has to be better than patting myself on the back and saying "you're the best" when in reality I have no talent or skill whatsoever.
I will say though that comparing myself to others reminds me that I'm mediocre. Man- I hate that word. I don't know why but I just don't want to be mediocre. The problem is I've been mediocre in everything. I knew how to swim butterfly and I was pretty good. I could throw one hell of a drop-curve too. But I was not great. I was a 3.0 student, not 4.0. I can take some nice photographs, but you don't see any award symbols by my name. (Don't even get me started on being a mediocre wife, friend and Christian!) I don't expect to be amazing and perfect at everything, but I would like to not be "mediocre" at at least. one. thing.
I want that one thing to be my photography career. (Unless God has another plan). In order to be great I actually have to remind myself that it does not happen naturally. I know.... you're thinking everyone has to remind themselves the same thing. I disagree. I think there are plenty of people where it actually comes naturally... you know that whole "natural talent" phrase... it does exist. It does not exist in me. So I have to remind myself to study, learn and practice. I have to go over things multiple times, not just once. I have to force myself to do things outside of my comfort zone. I have to spend hours starring at a computer screen, tears rolling down my cheek just so I can learn how to edit a little better. (With the realization that it might not even help me in the end.) And when I become complaisant or even big-headed I have to bring myself down and say "Aubrie, you are not great! ... Yet."
To come full circle... there really isn't anything embarrassing about driving yourself to tears in the name of improvement. Who cries over Photoshop? Someone, who deep inside, really wants to be great. She doesn't know of a better way to do that than with a little sweat and tears.
Hmmm... Sinking AND Skipping,
Aubrie
PS. I still have no idea how to accomplish this certain editing system in Photoshop.
3.01.2012
Imagination Overload
Is an over-charged imagination a good thing or can it be harmful to, let's say, one's spirit?
I know, you probably just went... "What?! What is she talking about?" For starters it's an odd question and might not make sense to you at all. I am sure a lot of people are thinking the words 'imagination' and 'harmful' do not belong in the same sentence.
So I'll skip the jibber jabber and cut to my point. I have a very BIG imagination which leads to all sorts of ideas, odd thoughts and TONS of day dreams. If I were to keep little note pads everywhere and write down all the things I think of and shared them with you I think you would find me to be a little crazy. (Crazy in the good kind of way though, I promise none of my thoughts are morbid... except when I day dream about my funeral.) My imagination has concocted about 20 different novel ideas, literally novels, like fiction books you read. All of them romance- go figure. In another life I'm pretty sure I was a fiction writer.
So how is this harmful you ask? Well I'm wondering if my day dreams and big, bright ideas let me down sometimes. For example... I day dream a lot about getting into different magazines with my photography. Like the editor at Sunset Magazine calls the editor at 1859 and asks if he knows of a good photographer in Oregon. Of course (since this is MY day dream) Kevin (editor) says that I am the best and gives the editor my contact information. Before you know it I'm hitting the front cover of Sunset.
My day dream prompts me to some sort of action that might make that lil dream a reality. Of course I'm sensible enough to know that the editor of Sunset is not going to contact Kevin and even in the RARE case he/she did I'm pretty sure I would not be number one on their list. So I know I need to do something else to get their attention. So I looked into what magazine editors like to receive as far as promotional items from freelance photographers. I made such promotional items, I made a list of magazines to mail to and now I will sit back and hold my breath.
What's happening though is I've got myself so psyched up from all my day dreaming that I think all these magazines are going to call me. (So now we've gone from just Sunset to like 12 different magazines.) I'm now day dreaming of Mix contacting me and the editor at Portland Monthly saying "This is the girl who had that awesome front cover on 1859... she wants to shoot for us!"
What happens when every single one of those promotional photo cards gets tossed in the trash? Or better yet, not even opened? What happens when my day dreams don't turn into reality? Will this kill my spirit? Will it slowly, over time, bring me down to the point where I don't listen to my dreams anymore?
It's not just my photography business. I swim. I practice 4-5 times a week, I enter in a few meets through out the year. My day dreams do not consist of me having a great practice or a best time in my 50 fly. Noooo.... my day dreams are taking me to Nationals in 2013 back to my old stomping ground, Indianapolis IUPUI. I'm swimming in Nationals. All of my friends and family are there watching. I'm seeded first in one event and second in another. I'm talked about on the TV and the radio. They talk about how pretty my butterfly is and how fast my flip turns are. I swim. I win. I go out and celebrate with everyone. It is actually very possible for me to swim in Nationals in 2013. Partly because you don't necessarily have to qualify. It's possible that my mom and dad would come watch... maybe my sister and maybe a friend or two. Everything else is just hype in my head though.
Am I letting myself down or am I holding myself to unattainable standards?
I'm pretty sure I can't suppress my imagination nor can I cut out my day dreams. I've been like this since I was a little kid. I just hope that I don't get lost in my world of day dreams and that I know the difference between my outrageous dreams and reality. I hope that I keep trying and that those dreams don't break me.
...Here's hoping one of those magazines contacts me... and I swim at Nationals. ;)
Skipping,
Aubrie
I know, you probably just went... "What?! What is she talking about?" For starters it's an odd question and might not make sense to you at all. I am sure a lot of people are thinking the words 'imagination' and 'harmful' do not belong in the same sentence.
So I'll skip the jibber jabber and cut to my point. I have a very BIG imagination which leads to all sorts of ideas, odd thoughts and TONS of day dreams. If I were to keep little note pads everywhere and write down all the things I think of and shared them with you I think you would find me to be a little crazy. (Crazy in the good kind of way though, I promise none of my thoughts are morbid... except when I day dream about my funeral.) My imagination has concocted about 20 different novel ideas, literally novels, like fiction books you read. All of them romance- go figure. In another life I'm pretty sure I was a fiction writer.
So how is this harmful you ask? Well I'm wondering if my day dreams and big, bright ideas let me down sometimes. For example... I day dream a lot about getting into different magazines with my photography. Like the editor at Sunset Magazine calls the editor at 1859 and asks if he knows of a good photographer in Oregon. Of course (since this is MY day dream) Kevin (editor) says that I am the best and gives the editor my contact information. Before you know it I'm hitting the front cover of Sunset.
My day dream prompts me to some sort of action that might make that lil dream a reality. Of course I'm sensible enough to know that the editor of Sunset is not going to contact Kevin and even in the RARE case he/she did I'm pretty sure I would not be number one on their list. So I know I need to do something else to get their attention. So I looked into what magazine editors like to receive as far as promotional items from freelance photographers. I made such promotional items, I made a list of magazines to mail to and now I will sit back and hold my breath.
What's happening though is I've got myself so psyched up from all my day dreaming that I think all these magazines are going to call me. (So now we've gone from just Sunset to like 12 different magazines.) I'm now day dreaming of Mix contacting me and the editor at Portland Monthly saying "This is the girl who had that awesome front cover on 1859... she wants to shoot for us!"
What happens when every single one of those promotional photo cards gets tossed in the trash? Or better yet, not even opened? What happens when my day dreams don't turn into reality? Will this kill my spirit? Will it slowly, over time, bring me down to the point where I don't listen to my dreams anymore?
It's not just my photography business. I swim. I practice 4-5 times a week, I enter in a few meets through out the year. My day dreams do not consist of me having a great practice or a best time in my 50 fly. Noooo.... my day dreams are taking me to Nationals in 2013 back to my old stomping ground, Indianapolis IUPUI. I'm swimming in Nationals. All of my friends and family are there watching. I'm seeded first in one event and second in another. I'm talked about on the TV and the radio. They talk about how pretty my butterfly is and how fast my flip turns are. I swim. I win. I go out and celebrate with everyone. It is actually very possible for me to swim in Nationals in 2013. Partly because you don't necessarily have to qualify. It's possible that my mom and dad would come watch... maybe my sister and maybe a friend or two. Everything else is just hype in my head though.
Am I letting myself down or am I holding myself to unattainable standards?
I'm pretty sure I can't suppress my imagination nor can I cut out my day dreams. I've been like this since I was a little kid. I just hope that I don't get lost in my world of day dreams and that I know the difference between my outrageous dreams and reality. I hope that I keep trying and that those dreams don't break me.
...Here's hoping one of those magazines contacts me... and I swim at Nationals. ;)
Skipping,
Aubrie
1.03.2012
Eleven to Twelve
The first week of January is always bittersweet. A lot of people, including myself, tend to look back at the year that has passed with sweet memories most of which will never occur again. We also look towards the year to come with anticipations, goals and a hopeful heart that we can top the previous year.
I had a great year and I wanted to recap some of my favorite moments. Of course doing it in a list fashion, because I dig lists. A lot of people go with "Top 10" but I find it only appropriate to do my list of "Top 11" moments for 2011... in no particular order....
1. Memorial Day Camping Trip. Not only was the camping trip a lot of fun but we met some lovely people at this camping trip that are now dear friends.
2. State Champs! My first year coaching high school swimming was a lot of fun. To be honest I really had nothing to do with our boys winning state, but I was happy to be part of the team and I was very proud of Adam (head coach) and our hard-working boys.
3. Nutcracker. At the ripe age of 29 I finally saw my first performance of the Nutcracker. David and I watched the Oregon Ballet perform this wonderful Christmas tradition at the Keller auditorium.
4. 3-Year-Anniversary. We might not have done anything HUGE for this anniversary but just having another year with my wonderful husband is grand enough to be on this list.
5. Hawaii. David and I took a trip to Kauai in March with my parents. It. Was. Awesome.
6. Triathlon. I competed in my first sprint triathlon.
7. La Grande. We celebrated 4th of July in La Grande with friends, wine tasting, steak dinner, hiking and fireworks.
8. Josh Radin. I love him and his concerts. The Starks and I saw Josh perform in March at the Crystal Ballroom. Always a good time... Josh Shot.
9. 1859. This year was a big year for my editorial work. December 2011 was actually my first publication in this magazine... July was my first photo story and coming up....
10. Eagle Lake. My husband got his first full taste of summer in Indiana. My favorite part was spending the day at my uncle's lake house. We celebrated my nephew's first birthday, went jet-skiing and I went tubing with my sister. It reminded me of past summers in Indiana and was a great time spent with the best family ever.
11. Carpet! Ahhhh, we finally got new carpet in our house. It looks and smells so much better. :)
I am looking forward to 2012. Every year brings new memories to cherish and new goals to check off your list. I have a few of each in mind so to go with the mantra I have for this blog post I thought I would write a list of 12 things I'm either looking forward to or that I would like to accomplish this year.
1. Turning 30!!! Maybe I'm not looking forward to turning 30 and saying goodbye to my 20's (because my 20's were spectacular) but I think the celebration will probably be a good one this year. ;)
2. Swimming. I joined a masters swim team, The Barracudas. I am excited to be on a swim team again, to get back into shape and to race in a few swim meets this year.
3. Family Visit. This is actually happening in less than a week... my mom and my aunt Lee Ann are coming for a week to visit. It should be a fun girl time... and interesting too because it's January and you have to creative with things to do in Portland in the winter.
4. Drive Better. My husband will probably poop his pants when he reads this. I would like to allow myself enough time to get to my location and not be in such a rush that I drive like a ding-bat.
5. Pinterest. What? I can't have a goal involving the latest and greatest website? LOL! Seriously though I think the site allows to create, make, bake, purchase or do a lot of things that maybe you wouldn't think of yourself. So my goal is to do 12 things that I find from Pinterest.
6. Triathlon. I would like to compete in another triathlon or maybe even try an aquathon out as well.
7. Crazy Love. It's a book my sister got me for Christmas. I'm going to read it.
8. Chicago Wedding. My college best friend is getting married in Chicago this July. I'm excited to witness this great occasion and be at a wedding in the middle of the summer that I'm not responsible for the photography. To sit back and relax during a wedding is an odd thing but I'm looking forward to it. (Plus another trip to the windy city!)
9. Rafting! David and I have two types of rafts/boats. One is a blow-up kayak and the other is a raft-boat type of deal. Anyway I would like to actually put them in the water and use the heck out of them this summer! Plus I would like to go white water rafting this year (Rogue??)
10. Roads. My Oregon map looks better and better every year. This year I have a few specific roads I would like to mark off. Highway 228-20 starting in Sweet Home and going to Black Butte Ranch area is one and the other is Highway 126 staring in Springfield and going to Belknap Springs area.
11. 1859! ...and my first Front Cover! My first front cover will come out in January, it should be on the stands any day now. I'm looking forward to seeing the magazine and of course shooting this whole year with 1859.
12. Magazines/Photo Biz. I would like to get into at least one more major magazine this year. I really enjoy the work that the Columbia Gorge magazine produces and Sip NW magazine. Those two are both on my list for sure. Do you think Sunset magazine is ready for this girl yet? I am looking forward to this year with my photography business. It's growing and it's making more money- yay. I had 6 weddings booked before the new year and I hoping to grab a few more. It's going to be a great year in the photo world!
I had a great year and I wanted to recap some of my favorite moments. Of course doing it in a list fashion, because I dig lists. A lot of people go with "Top 10" but I find it only appropriate to do my list of "Top 11" moments for 2011... in no particular order....
1. Memorial Day Camping Trip. Not only was the camping trip a lot of fun but we met some lovely people at this camping trip that are now dear friends.
2. State Champs! My first year coaching high school swimming was a lot of fun. To be honest I really had nothing to do with our boys winning state, but I was happy to be part of the team and I was very proud of Adam (head coach) and our hard-working boys.
3. Nutcracker. At the ripe age of 29 I finally saw my first performance of the Nutcracker. David and I watched the Oregon Ballet perform this wonderful Christmas tradition at the Keller auditorium.
4. 3-Year-Anniversary. We might not have done anything HUGE for this anniversary but just having another year with my wonderful husband is grand enough to be on this list.
5. Hawaii. David and I took a trip to Kauai in March with my parents. It. Was. Awesome.
6. Triathlon. I competed in my first sprint triathlon.
7. La Grande. We celebrated 4th of July in La Grande with friends, wine tasting, steak dinner, hiking and fireworks.
8. Josh Radin. I love him and his concerts. The Starks and I saw Josh perform in March at the Crystal Ballroom. Always a good time... Josh Shot.
9. 1859. This year was a big year for my editorial work. December 2011 was actually my first publication in this magazine... July was my first photo story and coming up....
10. Eagle Lake. My husband got his first full taste of summer in Indiana. My favorite part was spending the day at my uncle's lake house. We celebrated my nephew's first birthday, went jet-skiing and I went tubing with my sister. It reminded me of past summers in Indiana and was a great time spent with the best family ever.
11. Carpet! Ahhhh, we finally got new carpet in our house. It looks and smells so much better. :)
I am looking forward to 2012. Every year brings new memories to cherish and new goals to check off your list. I have a few of each in mind so to go with the mantra I have for this blog post I thought I would write a list of 12 things I'm either looking forward to or that I would like to accomplish this year.
1. Turning 30!!! Maybe I'm not looking forward to turning 30 and saying goodbye to my 20's (because my 20's were spectacular) but I think the celebration will probably be a good one this year. ;)
2. Swimming. I joined a masters swim team, The Barracudas. I am excited to be on a swim team again, to get back into shape and to race in a few swim meets this year.
3. Family Visit. This is actually happening in less than a week... my mom and my aunt Lee Ann are coming for a week to visit. It should be a fun girl time... and interesting too because it's January and you have to creative with things to do in Portland in the winter.
4. Drive Better. My husband will probably poop his pants when he reads this. I would like to allow myself enough time to get to my location and not be in such a rush that I drive like a ding-bat.
5. Pinterest. What? I can't have a goal involving the latest and greatest website? LOL! Seriously though I think the site allows to create, make, bake, purchase or do a lot of things that maybe you wouldn't think of yourself. So my goal is to do 12 things that I find from Pinterest.
6. Triathlon. I would like to compete in another triathlon or maybe even try an aquathon out as well.
7. Crazy Love. It's a book my sister got me for Christmas. I'm going to read it.
8. Chicago Wedding. My college best friend is getting married in Chicago this July. I'm excited to witness this great occasion and be at a wedding in the middle of the summer that I'm not responsible for the photography. To sit back and relax during a wedding is an odd thing but I'm looking forward to it. (Plus another trip to the windy city!)
9. Rafting! David and I have two types of rafts/boats. One is a blow-up kayak and the other is a raft-boat type of deal. Anyway I would like to actually put them in the water and use the heck out of them this summer! Plus I would like to go white water rafting this year (Rogue??)
10. Roads. My Oregon map looks better and better every year. This year I have a few specific roads I would like to mark off. Highway 228-20 starting in Sweet Home and going to Black Butte Ranch area is one and the other is Highway 126 staring in Springfield and going to Belknap Springs area.
11. 1859! ...and my first Front Cover! My first front cover will come out in January, it should be on the stands any day now. I'm looking forward to seeing the magazine and of course shooting this whole year with 1859.
12. Magazines/Photo Biz. I would like to get into at least one more major magazine this year. I really enjoy the work that the Columbia Gorge magazine produces and Sip NW magazine. Those two are both on my list for sure. Do you think Sunset magazine is ready for this girl yet? I am looking forward to this year with my photography business. It's growing and it's making more money- yay. I had 6 weddings booked before the new year and I hoping to grab a few more. It's going to be a great year in the photo world!
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